Dispensing apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W.'E- BIHL ETAL DISPENSING APPKRATUS Original FiledAug- 5, 1926 Jan. 20, 1931.

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hmy M Q v. Q v w. m v 7 7:3; ..2 L w/} Q Patented Jan. 20, 1931 UNITEDSTATES PATENT oFF cE WILLIAM: E. BIHL AID AXEL RAIOLAU, OF OHICAGO,IIiLINOIS, ASSIG-NORS TO IRON IOUNTAm 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION 01 ILIQINOIS,

msrnnsnve arraaarus Original application fled August 28, 1986, SerialNo. 181,684. Divided and this 1927. Serial No. 190,711.

. With these and various other objects in r view, the invention mayconsist of certain novel features of construction and operation as willbe more fully described and particularly pointed out in thespecification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the device andwherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts-Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of one embodiment of the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along a vertical plane showing partof the interior of the construction shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along a :0 horizontal plane,indicated by the arrows.

" 3-3 of Figure 1, showing part of the interior construction of thestructure shown in Fig ure 1' F ig ure 4 is a sectional view taken alonga :5 plane (indicated by the arrows 44 of\F1gure 3' an Figures 5 and 6illustrate details of construction. Referring first to Figure 1, thenumeral 10 4 indicates a. casing, which may be made of sheet metal. Saidcasing may be provided with doors for permitting access to the mteriorthereof for inspection, repairs, and for the insertion of articles to bedispenwd. One of the doors referred to is indicated by the numeral 11and is the door through which articles are charged into the apparatus.

The illustrated embodiment-of the present invention constitutes meansfor refrigerating and dispensing bottles, as for example bottlesapplication filed Kay-12,

containing. soft drinks. The door 11 is there- .fore of a size and shapefreely to admit soft drink bottles. Near the bottom of the casin 10 isapanel 12, which is removably secured to said casing 10 to permit accessto the refrigerating means (not shown), which means may be arefrigerating machine.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be noted that the casing 10 is providedwith heat insulating packing 13. A portion of one end wall of saidcasing, indicated by the numeral 14, is removable, to permit readyaccess to the interiorof said casing 10. symmetrically disposed withinthe casing 10 is the brine tank 15, which brine tank contains coolingfluid. Surrounding the brine tank 15 is the ramp 16, which provides asloping surface from a region near the top of the casing- 10 to a lowerregion disposed at a level above the floor at which aperson of ordinaryheight may conveniently remove articles from said casing 10. Said ramp16 may be described as having helical conformation, though it isintended in this specification that the term 7 helical shall have abroader meaning than its true mathematical meaning and shall includestructures having an elliptical or other geometric shape in horizontalsection.

eferring again to Figure 1, bottles may be inserted through the door 11and placed upon the ramp 16. The window. 17 may be provided throughwhich bottles within the casing 10 may be observed. As bottles pass downthe ramp 16 they are discharged in succession through the outlet opening18 onto the base 19. The base 19 may be provided with airack (not shown)for supporting the bottles as they are deposited from said base 19.Located at a convenient pointis the bottle cap remover 20,. which capremover may be of the ordinary conformation. Said cap remover-20 ispreferably disposed directly above the base 19, whereby'caps removed bysaid cap remover may drop through the rack in the base 19 into the chute21, whence they may drop into the drawer 22." Said drawer 22 maybeopened at any time by an attendant,- and the caps removed. The numeral23 indicates a receptacle for straws, which ie- 100 ceptacle may bepositioned at a convenient height.

The present invention contemplates positive means for moving the bottlesdown the ramp 16, which positive means is responsive to coin controlledapparatus which will be described in detail hereinafter. The ramp 16, asillustrated, comprises the straps 24, which are shaped to provide achuteway to hold bottles,'indicated by the numeral 25, in a verticalposition or in a position which is nearly vertical. Said ramp may besupported by any preferred supporting means. Said straps 24 are held inproper relation to one another by means of the holding means 26,

which may be spaced at intervals along the ramp 16. The lowermost ofsaid straps 24 is disposed symmetrically of the bottles carried 'therebyand offers very little friction to resist movement of said bottles. Alsocarried by the supporting members 26 are a plurality of pulleys disposedat intervals along the ramp 16, which pulleys form guiding means for acable 27 to cause said cable to follow more or less generally thecontour of the ramp 16. Said cable 27 is preferably an endless cable andhas secured thereto the pusher 28. As indicated in Figures 3 and 5, thepusher 28 includes the member 29, having mounted thereon the rollerbearings 30-'30 adapted to have rolling engagement with one of thestraps 24. Said member 29 is also provided with the upstanding member31, adapted to engage the side of a bottle for pushing said bottle downthe ramp 16. It will be understood that a line of bottles will bedisposed upon the ramp 16, and that by pushing against the uppermost ofsaid bottles the whole line will be pushed downwardly toward thedischarge outlet 18. The cable 27 is adapted to be moved by the sheave32,

placed intermediate of the length of the endless cable 27. I Said sheaie 32 is adapted to. be operated by the handle 33, which is connectedthrough the shaft 34 to the clutch element 35, which clutch element *isadapted tohave clutching engagement with the clutch element 36.- Saidclutch element36 is provided with the pinion 37 adapted to mesh with thegear 38, which gear 38 is rigidly connected to the sheave 32'. After aperson has deposited the necessary coin, he may, by turnmg thecrank 33,connect the clutch elements and= 36, whereby :by continuing toturn' saidcrank 33 he will operate the sheave 32 to communicate motion to theendless cable 27 to, cause movement of the pusher 28 and effect thedischargeof a bottle from the outlet openin 18. Discharge of a bottlewill automaticadly cause the disengagement of the clutch elements 35and,36, whereby further rotation of the crank 33 will not effect thedischarge of another bottle until anothe coin has been inserted.

The mechanism for performing the functions immediately above referred towill now be described. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the numeral 39indicates a coin slot which coin slot is adapted to deliver the coin tothe wheel 40. Said wheel 40 comprises a pair of spaced plates 41-41,which plates are spaced that the coin, which is indicated in Figure 4 bythe numeral 43, projects radially a sufficient distance to engage thelever 44, which lever is pivoted upon the pin 45 and is springpressed ina counterclockwise direction by means which will be, describedpresently. It will be obvious that as the handle 33 is turned to rotatethe shaft 34 in a clockwise direction as the parts are viewed in Figure4,

the coin 43 will engage the upper extremity of the lever 44 to move saidlever in a clockwise direction. Disposed to the left of the coin slot 39as the partsare viewed in Figure 4 is the stop plate 44a adapted to abutthe coin 43 if a person, after inserting-a coin,

should turn the shaft 34 in a counterclock wise direction. By reason ofthe provision of said stop plate 44a, the danger is averted that aperson might, by turning-the handle 33 in the wrong direction, have thecoin drop out of operative osition without operating the lever 44.ounted near the lower extremity of the lever 44 is the stud 47' adaptedto cooperate with thelever 48, which lever 48 is pivotedabout the pin 49and is urged in a'counterclockwise direction by-the spring 50, a stop 51being provided for limiting the counterclockwise movement of the lever48. When-the lever 44 is moved in a clockwise direction by reason of theengagement therewith of the coin 43, the stud 47 carried by said lever44 will be moved out of engagement with the adjacent extremity of thelever 48, permitting the spring 50 to move said lever 48 up against thestop 51, in which position theextremity of lever 48 will abutillustrated in Figure 4.

The numeral 52 indicatesa bell crank lever pivotally mounted upon thepin 53. One

arm of said bell crank lever 52 is resiliently connected to the lever 44by means of the spring 54, said lever 44 being provided with a pin 54aextending through an aperture in the adjacent extremity of the bellcrank lever 52; said spring 54 being disposed between said lever 54 andsaid adjacent end of the bell crank lever 52. Nuts 54?) are disposed onthe extremity ofthe pin 54a. The other arm of said bell crank lever 52is provided with a yoke- 55, by means of which rotation of theup'permost position to the right of the door bell crank lever 52 willcommunicate axial movement to the clutch element 35. The

clutch elements 35 and-36 are urged apartby the coil spring56, whichcoil spring, in a manner which will be obvious, insures thedisengagement of said clutch elements 35 and 36, exceptwhen it isintended that they shall be engaged, and insures the smooth engagementof said clutch elements 35 and 36 in case said clutch elements arepresented in nonmeshing relationship with one another.

ing the turning of the starwheel 56, except.

.The numeral 56 represents a star wheel having three vanes 5757, whichvanes are successively disposed in obstructing relationship to thebottles 25 upon the ramp 16. The numeral 58 indicates' a stop forpreventnectedby means of rod 61 to the lever 44.,

When said lever 44 has been moved in a clockwise direction following theinsertion of a coin, the rod 61 will be moved to the left as the partsare viewed in Figure 4, whereby the upper extremity of the lever 59 willbe disposed out of obstructing relationship with the star. wheel 56.

As each bottle 25 is moved in succession to the lower extremity of theramp 16,. it is adapted to drop upon a trap door 62. Said .trap door 62is provided with the crank 63,

which crank is connected to the lever 48 by means of the link 64. Thedropping of the trap door 63 will cause a downward movement of the link64, resulting in clockwise movement of the lever 48 in opposition tothespring '50. 'This movement will disengage the left-hand extremity ofthe lever 48 from stud 47- (Figure 4), whereby the lever 44 may moveinto the ositionshown in Figure 4, therebycompletlng the cycle ofoperation.-.

- -When the attendant of the illustrated dispensing apparatus desires tocharge bottles into said apparatus, he may, by mserting a coin, connectthe clutch elements 35 and 36 in the manner above referred to by turningthe. shaft 34 in a clockwise direction; thereafter,

by turning handle 33 in a direction to move the shaft 34 in acounterclockwise direction,

he may move thepu'sher 28 up to the upper region of the ramp 16. He maythen charge bottles into said dispensing apparatus one after another. 4

Attention'is now directed to the structure 3 illustratedin Figure. 6.Before charging bottles into the apparatus, the attendant should, ofcourse, move thepusher 28' to its 11 as the parts are viewed in Figure 1,otherwise the bottles charged into the apparatus will be in rear ofsaid pusher 28 and will not be pushed downwardly by said pusher whensaid pusher is moved downwardly by the coin controlled mechanism.Accordingly, the present invention contemplates the provision of ashutter 65, spring-pressed to closed position across the openingcontrolled by the doorway 11. Said shutter is provided with -a finger 66adapted to be engaged by the member 31 or other part of the pusher 28.

-When said pusher 28' is moved to the upper.

limit of its travel, said pusher will,-by reason of its engagement withthe finger 66, positively move the shutter into the diagonal or guidingposition indicated in dotted lines in Figure 6, in which the swingingedge of said shutter abuts against the inner strap 24. Said shutter 66is curved about a vertical axis, and when said shutter is in guidingposition it serves as guide means for directing the bottles in the proer direction onto the ramp 16. When sai shutter 65 is in closedposition, as indicated in full lines in Figure 6, it will indicate tothe attendant that the pusher '28 is not in its uppermost position andthat. said pusher should be moved tosaid u permost position beforebottles are charge into the apparatus. If desired, a suitable warningmay be placed upon said shutter 65.

. After having charged the apparatus, the. attendant will then turn thehandle 33 in a to closed position, it will close automatically when thepusher 28 is moved downwardly-.- Inasmuch as the clutch elements 35 and36 are in engagement, motion will be communicated from saidhandlethrough clutch elements 35 and 36 to pinion 37 and gear 38 to turnthe sheave 32. This action will move the cable 27, whereby the pusher 28will move the line of bottles downwardly. At this time the lever 44 willbe held in its clockwise position, whereby the rod 61'will hold thelever 59 out of obstructing relationship with the star wheel 56.Movement of the pusher 29 will therefore result in the moving ofthebottle 25 to the trap door 62, whence said bottle will drop throughthe outlet opening 18 onto the base 19, fromwhich said bottle may beremoved. Asnoted' above, movement of the 44to move to the'positionindicated in Figure 4. Suehmovement of the lever 44 will cause theclockwise movement 'of the bell crank lever 52, resulting indisengagement of clutch lio elements 35 and 36. The operator may theninsertthe bottle which he has discharged back v a convenientcoinreceptacle, such a receptacle into the machine through the door 11forstorage purposes and may lock said door 11.

.When any person desiring to secure a bottle inserts a coin within theslot 39 and communicates a turning movement to the handle 33 in adirection to move the shaft 34 in a clockwise direction, the coin,indicated by the numeral 43 in Figure 4,will cause the lever 44 to swingin a clockwise direction, resulting in the engagement of the clutchelements 35 and 36 as above described, whereby turning of the handle 33will push the bottle onto the trap door 62, from which said bottle willdrop through the outlet opening 18 'onto the base 19 in a mannerdescribed above. As also described above, the operation of the trapdoor, by reason of its connection with the lever 48, will interruptthedriving connection between the clutch elements 35 and 36. After eachcoin 43 has passed the upper extremity of the lever 44 it will drop outinto being indicated in Figure 1 by the numeral bodying the rinciples ofthe present invention permits ry, regulated refrigeration, deliveringdry bottles.

It has been found in practice that ordinary soft drink bottles willslide with suflicient case on the ramp 16, particularly with the speedreduction gears 37 and 38, sothat no antifriction bearin s are-required.for said bottles. Any such earings may be used, of course, if preferred"Though a preferred embodiment of the present invention has beendescribed in de tail, many modifications will occur to those skilled inthe art. It is intended to cover all such modifications that fall withinthe scope of the appended claims.

ing said inlet opening except when said push-- or is in position to cooerate upon articles disposed adjacent to sai inlet opemng ing biased toguidin position.

spensing apparatus, in v sive to the position of said pusher for(guarding said inlet opening except when sai pusher is in position tocooperate upon articles disposed adjacent to ,said inlet opening, saidcombined shutter and guiding member be- 3. In cooling and combination, acasing, a ramp for carrymg articles to be dispensed, said casing beingprovided with an inlet-opening for said artlcles and an outlet openingfor said articles, a combined shutter and article guiding member fornormallyw closing said inlet, a pusher member movable along the 'ram'toward the discharge opening for dischargmg the articles therethrough,and cooperating means carried by the pusher member and the shut termember for opening the latter when said pusher member is moved intoposition at the side of the inlet opening more remote from the outletopening.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a ramp,inlet and. outlet means for said ramp, means whereby articles to bedispensed are dischar ed from said ramp,a member associatedwit said rampfor operating said last named means, said member having means foroperating said inlet means to open position whereb ingress is bad tosaidramp, to charge sai ramp with articles to be dispensed.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of asubstantially helically disposed ramp, a track' associated with saidramp, means on said track operable to move articles along said ramp, anendless operatmgmember operable to move said means, inlet and outletmeans for said ramp, means'whereby articles to be dis ensed aredischarged from said ramp, said rst named means having means foroperating said inlet means to open position whereby ingress is had tosaid ramp to charge said ramp with articles to be di ensed. Q

S igned at Chicago, Illinois, this 7th day of May, 1927.

' 1 WILLIAM E. BHEIL.

AXEL RAMCLAU.

2. In dispensing apparatus, a casing, a

ramp for carrying articles to be dispensed,-

said casing being provided with an inlet opening for said articles andan outlet opening for said articles, a pusher for pushing .said articlesdown saidramp, and a combined shutter and article guiding memberrespon--

